When love takes over

This mess is mine

In a spare conference room, Jen sat at a desk, her hands against her forehead as she read through Brielle's thick file.

Brielle Katherine Davis

Date of Birth: 10/14/2009

"Born prematurely, low birth weight, marijuana in her system, three different foster homes..."

Leaning back in her chair, she sighed and looked up to Kathy. "Jesus..."

The woman closed her eyes briefly and nodded. "Yeah."

"Father?" Jen asked.

She shrugged. "Your guess is as good as anybody's."

It disgusted her. The fact that a child could be in the custody of someone so completely irresponsible, and keep going back, blew her mind. As it turned out, Brielle's mother was a heroin addict, dabbled in prostitution, and had already had her five year old child removed from her care three times due to neglect. One medical report documented a visit to the emergency room in March of 2013, seeking treatment for second degree burns on her feet that Brielle had accrued while trying to run water for a bath.

"For the love of God, what the hell does someone have to do to have their parental rights taken from them?? This hasn't been enough?!" Jen barked. No animal, let alone a child, deserved this kind of treatment.

"Marnie Davis has just ruined the last chance she had. As of this morning, the state of Kentucky has begun proceedings for the termination of Marnie's parental rights."

"It's about time."

Closing the file, she looked up. "So what happens next?"

Kathy began to pack things away in her briefcase, assuming their meeting was wrapping up.

"Foster care. And then, I hope and pray, adoption follows. These-" Kathy promptly cut herself off, not speaking another word.

"These what?" Jen pushed. She knew Kathy wasn't presenting the whole story for some reason.

Closing her eyes, Kathy took a breath.

"Look, Miss. Lawrence, in all honesty, I'm a huge fan of your work. You made the word believe that any normal, bubbly, energetic teenager could make their dreams come true. For that, I admire and respect you greatly-"

"But?" Jen counted.

"But," Kathy sighed, rubbing at her temple. "Brielle is a five year old girl. She's underweight, lacking in social skills and communication, and she cannot read. This is a child who has witnessed physical and verbal abuse, hard drug use, and poverty. People aren't exactly lining up to adopt a child with this kind of history."

Kathy knew where this was going, she could see the wheels turning in Jennifer's head. Grabbing her briefcase, she tried to end things as courteously as possible.

"You did more than anybody asked of you. I assure you, we will take things from here. Please, go spend time with your father."

Jen was supposed to let it go, supposed to go back to her Hollywood Hills life. But how could she? How could she attend an Award show wearing a million dollar gown without thinking of where Brielle was and if she was okay. In everything Jen did, Brielle would always be in the back of her mind. In a matter of hours, Jennifer Lawrence's life had been altered.

"What if I want her?" She blurted out.

Kathy paused, her hand on the glass door handle. Slowly, she turned around.

"Excuse me?"

Jen stared back, unsure of what she had just gotten herself into, but not willing to back down. It was now or never.